Chapter 3
Everyday after Hotaru's first day on Zuko's ship, was the same, accept for the whole Zuko slipping and falling on top of her thing. After that day, Zuko was a lot more careful about the way he walked on the top deck after Hotaru mopped. Hotaru would wake up, get herself ready for the day, go to the top of the ship and argue with Zuko about him and the crew to go downstairs, clean the top deck and then go below deck to clean the rest of the ship, go to her room with a small plate of food, eat, then go to sleep. When she was downstairs she would mostly clean up the kitchen and tidy up bedrooms, but she would never go into Zuko's room. She felt that he probably would have his room all cleaned up anyway, and she didn't feel like getting in trouble for touching his belongings and accidentally misplacing them. She actually worked off her debt after the first week but for some reason she stayed. After a few more weeks of being out at sea, the ship stopped at a nearby village to stock up on supplies.
"Miss Hotaru!" yelled Iroh.
"Huh?" said Hotaru. "Yes sir."
"Here," said Iroh who hander her a bag full of money. "Why don't you go buy yourself some clothes in the village?"
"Really, thanks but why? Don't you think that I'll try to escape?" said Hotaru.
"Well I think you deserve it for working so hard and if you were to escape then that would mean you wouldn't have a chance to see Zuko's face when he remembers you," replied Iroh with a smile on his face. After saying that, he walked away.
"Huh! Does he know?" thought Hotaru. She was shocked that he said something like that but she just walked off towards the village.
Later on that day…
"Uncle! It's time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh!" yelled Zuko
"Over here!" yelled Iroh happily.
"Uncle we need to move on, we're closing in on the avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him!"
"You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles," replied Iroh.
"My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!" yelled Zuko who was now getting angry.
"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature is just right. I heated it myself."
"Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!"
"Very well," said Iroh who was now rising out of the water. Zuko put his hand up to block the view of his uncle.
"On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or I'm leaving without you."
"Oh, well please be sure to tell Miss Hotaru that," said Iroh.
"What do you mean?" asked Zuko.
"I sent her into town to go and buy herself some new clothes. The ones she has now are so faded and dirty."
"UNCLE! Why'd you do that! She is not allowed off the ship!" yelled Zuko.
"You never said she wasn't."
"Yeah but, what if she tries to escape?"
"She's already worked off her debt yet she's still stayed with us. I'm pretty sure she isn't going to run away."
Zuko seemed shocked. His uncle was right. She had been staying with them even though she finished paying her debt. Zuko started towards the town. Right when he arrived at the entrance, he saw Hotaru coming out with some bags of clothes
"What the hell are you doing?" asked Zuko.
"Your uncle gave me money to go and buy some clothes so I went and now I'm on my way back to the ship. You got a problem with that?"
"No, so uh, you're going back to the ship huh?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Mind if I walk with you?" asked Zuko.
Hotaru was a bit hesitant at first but she decided to say yes.
"So, uh which nation are you from?" asked Zuko trying to get some information out of her to see if he can remember her from his past. "You look like you're from the Fire Nation."
"I despise that place, and I despise the people who took my parents away from me! I rid myself of the Fire Nation long ago when I left it," said Hotaru who was now seeming troubled when she answered.
"So, are you a fighter?" asked Zuko.
"Are you asking if I can defend myself?"
"Well yeah I guess if you put it that way."
"Didn't anyone ever tell you that you're really nosy?" said Hotaru with a smirk on her face. Zuko remembered he said the same comment to her the first day she started working. After that, he decided to keep his mouth shut.
When they reached the ship, Zuko noticed that his uncle wasn't back so he decided to go and look for him.
"Hotaru, I don't want you to step off of this ship, got it!" said Zuko.
"Yeah, yeah I got it, but are you really going to go and look for him yourself?"
"I don't need any help from anyone. Just stay here."
After he left Hotaru just sat at the edge of the ship looking into the water. The thought of Iroh saying that she would want to see Zuko's face when he remembered her still stuck on her mind. He must've known who she was. The memory of her had still at least remained with Iroh. Therefore, there was something to be slightly happy about. Around sunset Zuko and Iroh had returned.
(author's note: ok in the actual episode the winter's solstice, I don't think they showed Zuko and Iroh returning to the ship and Iroh had some loincloth thing on but here Iroh has all his clothes on when returning.)
Zuko went downstairs to his room. Before Iroh could follow him, Hotaru began to speak.
"How long have you known?" asked Hotaru.
"Since Zuko told me your name. Why don't you tell him?"
"I want him to remember me on his own. I'll leave a few hints for him on the way. What do you think will happen when he remembers?"
"I think he'll just be happy that his best friend has always been with him even after his banishment. He hasn't seen you since you were little," replied Iroh. After saying that he smiled and went below deck.
One of Hotaru's quick flashbacks…
A little girl is on the ground crying. She looks up and a hand is reaching out towards her offering to help her up. She takes it and…
End flashback
"Yeah, I think you're right," replied Hotaru following after him.
Ok more info about them remembering will come later throughout the story. Plz I seriously need some reviews!
-The Affectionate-Sinner
